For many new construction projects in the Midwest and Northeast, irrigation is typically viewed as an overlap of landscaping and therefore usually does not have a well defined plan. Without having a set plan that multiple contractors can use to base their price quotes on, the construction manager gets prices that are based on the individual contractor’s cheapest version of the plan, so the construction manager is not comparing apples-to-apples and is not getting the best irrigation system for the job. With this approach, the construction manager is basing their decision off of who has the lowest bid, not who has the best plan that will meet the long term needs of their clients. This is why hiring an irrigation consultant may be one of the smartest investments a building manager makes in the overall design/build process.
Here are seven reasons to use an irrigation consultant:
1. Commercial irrigation systems have become expensive; irrigation technology is sophisticated and can often be confusing. An irrigation consultant is a specialist who is kept up-to-date (by manufacturers), and can design a long-lasting system that is both water and energy efficient.
2. Most consultants are willing to review products with you, and can help you select from a wide array of products on the market. They can help you separate facts from confusing sales claims.
3. Most importantly, an irrigation consultant can be supportive in the struggle to convince your client (and/or construction manager) to not sacrifice quality, by value-engineering, and substituting-out the most appropriate products that will be long-lasting & efficient, and (when applicable) will enable the project to meet the requirements of LEED and/or SITES.
4. A consultant puts contractors and distributors on an equal footing by impartially specifying the appropriate equipment for the project being addressed. The bids that are submitted will also be more comparable, allowing the decision-makers to compare apples-to-apples.
5. A consultant is aware of project considerations beyond equipment selection: water/power supplies and consumption, location of upfront equipment (backflow preventer, pump-station, mechanical room spatial requirements) plant watering needs, environmental concerns, etc.
6. A consultant can assist the landscape architect/developer in developing accurate budget estimates.
7. An increasingly common involvement is that of water-harvesting. An irrigation consultant provides a crucial link with the team in being able to provide early preliminary calculations for anticipated water use/demand. This greatly assists in the planning efforts in the programming phase of a project, in determining water-storage chamber sizes & location, and positioning of the necessary mechanical equipment involved.
If you would like to learn more, contact Jim Davis at 314-541-2779 or email him at: [email protected]
